U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0006285 discloses a core-alloyed shell semiconductor nanocrystal that includes a core of a semiconductor material, a core-overcoating shell enclosing the core, and an outer organic ligand layer. The semiconductor material may be selected from PbS, PbSe, PbTe, CdTe, InN, InP, InAs, InSb, HgS, HgSe, and GaSb when the band gap energy of the semiconductor material is in the infrared energy range, and may be selected from CdSe, CdTe, ZnSe, ZnTe, AlAs, AlP, AlSb, AlN, GaP and GaAs when the band gap energy of the semiconductor material is in the visible energy range.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0032767 discloses an octapod shaped nanocrystal that includes a core and eight pods. The core includes a material crystallized in a cubic phase and having eight developed {111} facets. The pods are crystallized in a hexagonal phase on the eight {111} facets, and have a length greater than 5 nm.
The inclusion of the pods in the nanocrystal may enhance the stability and quantum efficiency of the nanocrystal. However, the pods of the conventional nanocrystal may tend to break, which results in a decrease in the stability and quantum efficiency of the nanocrystal.